Zellweger graduated from the University of Texas, Austin, where she earned a B.A. in English. She gained critical notice in 1996 with roles in Jerry Maguire and The Whole Wide World, for which she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. Her other movies include Dazed and Confused (1993), Love and a .45 (1994), Liar (1997), and A Price Above Rubies (1998). Despite British opposition, she was chosen to star in the film of the best-seller Bridget Jones's Diary (2001) for which she received a Golden Globe and even a BAFTA nomination. She also won Golden Globes for Nurse Betty (2000), Chicago (2002), and her Cold Mountain (2003) role snagged her a best-supporting Oscar as well as the Golden Globe.